Governor and regulator for mechanical music-playing instruments.



F. 0. WHITE.

GOVERNOR AND REGULATOR FOR MECHANICAL MUSIC PLAYING INSTRUMENTS.

Patnted Dec. 30, 1913.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK. C. WHITE, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILCOX & WHITE COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

GOVERNOR AND REGULATOR FOR MECHANICAL MUSIC-PLAYING INSTRUMENTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK 0. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, county of New Haven, State of I Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Governors and Regulators for Mechanical Music-Playing Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved governor and regulator for controlling air tension, said invention being of particular utility in connection with a pneumatic system such as employed in mechanical music playing instruments of the pneumatic variety.

The object of the invention 1s to provide a compact simple and effective governor or regulator which will not only regulate the air at predetermined tension, but will also regulate said air at variable degrees of tension,'means being provided whereby the degree of tension may be either mechanically or manually varied so that striking pneumatics will operate with more or less vigor depending upon the particular degree of tension which obtains within the regulator itself, which tension is governed so as to prevent any abrupt or improper fluctuations or variations in said governed tension which communicates with the action chest containing said striking pneu'matlcs; At the same time, the construction is such that an abrupt change in tension may be made for the purpose of quickly varying the tension for the purpose of simultaneously accenting a certain note or notes.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown in a single figure diagrammatic in character such parts of a pneumatic system (including my improved regulator and governorl as are essential to a full understanding of the improvements, said regulator being shown partly in section and partly in elevation.

A represents conventionally an action chest, which may contain the usual striking pneumatics (not shown) the particular form of which is immaterial to this invention.

B conventionally represents an exhauster, which may be of any suitable form for drawing air from the action chest to produce a partial vacuum therein.

CC represent two sections of a wind trunk leading from the action chest to the exhauster. Between these two sections of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 15, 1912.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

Serial No. 683,941.

the wind trunk and connected therewith is the regulator or governor, to which my invention is particularly directed. This regulator in its preferred form is constructed substantially as shown in the drawings.

D is a chest having a chamber therein.

E is a collapsible bellows, the backboard F of which is hinged so as to be movable. A suitable spring, conventionally shown at G, operates to swing the backboard in a direction to distend the bellows. Within the bellows E is a valve chest H, which chest is divided into a plurality of separate valve chambers, in this instance four. The wind trunk section C leads from the action chest into the bellows E while the wind trunk C leads from the chamber Within the chest D to the exhauster B.

III and I are valves which respectively control ports which connect the space within the bellows with the several chambers within the valve chest H. If, as in the present case, the direction of air is from the action chest toward the exhauster, the valves I]i'I and I should preferably be located on the outside of the valve chest H, and each of said valves is provided with a suitable spring J which tends to force said valve in a direction to close its respective port. Each of the valves III"I is suitably connected with the backboard F at different distances from the hinged end thereof. This connection is preferably flexible, and may be made, for example, by means of a piece of catgut, said connections being shown at KK- -K respectively. For the purposes of regulation, these catgut connections may pass airtight through small passages in the backboard and may be connected with rotatable capstan screws L- L-LL, so that the normal position of each valve may be varied by simply turning its respective capstan screw in one direction or the other.

M is a passage which connects the interior of the chest D with that section of the valve chest controlled by the valve I. MM M are passages which respectively connect the interior of the chest D with those sections of the valve chest H which are controlled by the valves III respectively. Each of the passages M-MM" are controlled by valves NNN respectively, the normal position of said valves may be controlled by pouch pneumaties O'OO. Air ducts ?-P-P may connect the pouch pneumatics aforesaid with a tracker-board Q, which may be provided with the usual openings for notes, and extra openings SSS, which connect with the aforesaid ducts PP P respectively, so that when one of these last mentioned tracker openings is uncovered during the playing of the instrument, its respective pouch pneumatic will be distended and its respective valve lll-l-N will be opened, so that air may flow through the passage controlled thereby from the action chest A toward the exhaust chest B.

T represents a passage which leads from the interior of the regulator bellows E into the chamber within the valve chest D. This passage is likewise normally closed by a valve U, which in turn may be controlled by a pouch pneumatic V, which in turn may be connected by a duet N with an opening X in the tracker Q. The valves NNl l and U will be normally held closed by the greater vacuum within the chest I).

It will be observed that no valve is provided for the passage from the chamber within chest E into that section of the valve chest H which is controlled by the valve 1, the reason for which will later become apparent.

Operation: Assuming the exhauster B is operated to create a vacuum, it will exhaust air from the action chest, the course of said air bein through the re ulator bellows it, the port controlled by the valve I and the passage M. A comparatively slight collapse of the bellows E will operate the valve I so that the latter will control said flow and regulate the tension in the bellows E at a low degree. It a. higher tension is desired, the valve N may be opened by uncovering the opening S in the tracker. This will put the interior of the bellows E in communication with he chamber within the chest D, and by reason of the adjustment of the valve T and the added tension on spring G it will require a greater movement of the backboard F, or collapse of the bellows E, to regulate the air now passing from the action chest A to the exhauster Hence a higher tension of air will occur within said action chest.

Precisely the same operation occurs in conneetion with the operation of the valves 1 and l, excepting that in each instance the tension within the bellows E (and accordingly the action chest A) is progressively increased. Thus, by controlling the tracker openings S'-SS ditlerent degrees of tension may be secured within the action. chest, and by reason of the fact that all of the valves TI-Il movable relatively to their openings respectively to vary the effective size thereof, it follows that the tension within the bellows is regulated or held against unintentional or abrupt changes due, for example, to unintentional variations in the vigor with which the exhauster is operated.

It at any time it is desirable to secure in the action chest A the high tension of the exhauster, this may be instantly accomplish ed by opening the valve U, which is e'll cctive by uncovering the tracker opening X. Thus,

it at any time it is desirable to accent any particular note or notes, this may be accomplished quickly and with certainty by causing the valve U to open as aforesaid,

which thereby puts the action chest in direct and unregulated ccn'nnunication with the Iexhauster, whereby any note struck at that time will be sounded with a vigor determined by the actual tension that obtains at that moment within the exhauster.

As indicated by the drawings, the valves TIll are arranged to progressively operate on their respective openings as the bellows is collapsed and their normal operative position may be varied so that the nicest gradation in tension will occur by the operation aforesaid.

As will be observed, the entire apparatus, which eomprehends so much, is exceedingly compact, and is so simple in its construction and operation as to be most durable and reliable.

lNhile I have shown my invention as applied to one particular system of pneumatic player mechanism, and have also shown and described only one arrangement thereof, it is obvious that the invention is capable of much modification in structure, method of operation and association with player mechanisms. The several valves IIl and U are shown in the drawings as operable from a tracker, and therefore may be said to be automatically controllable by a. suitably perforated note sheet having perforations arranged to expose the tracker openings which operate the aforesaid pouch pncu matics which open the aforesaid valve, but it may be equally true to say that said valves are capable of being manually controlledbecause said tracker openings S'U-S and X might be closed with the tips of the fingers and exposed at the will of the operator. Therefore, in a broad sense, the inven tion is not necessarily limited to use with a purely auton'iatic instrument, although said invention will be found to be of particular utility when employed with an instrim'ient that is purely automatic in its operation, being, for example, :tually driven by a. power motor, as distinguished from toot impelled pedals.

The number of separate valved chambers within the valve chest ll may be varied, so long a plurality of such separate valved chambers is present. In practice, and in order to secure the best results, it is desirable to employ three or more.

IVhile various means of adjustment may be provided, the means herein described has been found to be simple, effective and reliable, since it permits of the accurate and ready regulation of the operative position of each of the regulator valves independently, said regulation being possible during the playing of the instrument. By this means it will be seen that the different degrees of tension may be altered at will and to any extent within the full range of the instrument.

It should be understood that in pneumatic systems of this character air is always flow ing more or less most of the time during the playing of an instrument from the action chest toward the eXhauster, said air being admitted by the operation of the various devices which are controlled from the action chest, such as the pneumatic actions. These I have not shown, because they are well understood and constitute in themselves no part of this invention.

hat I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a chest having a chamber from which air is to be exhausted, an exhauster for drawing the air from said chamber, a regulator governor between the chest and the exhauster and including a collapsible bellows in communication with said chest, two separate valved passages leading from the interior of the bellows to said exhauster, a regulator valve for each of said passages, each of said regulator valves being controllable by said bellows, an additional valve for one of said passages and normally closing the same, means for operating the last valve to open the passage, and means for resisting the collapse of said bellows, which means increases in tension with the progres sive collapse of said bellows.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a chest having a chamber in which air tension is to be controlled, means for producing a difference in the tension of air within said chest relatively to atmosphere, a regulator governor between said chest and said means, including a collapsible means in communication with said chest, two separate valved passages connecting the interior of said collapsible means with the means for producing a diiference in the tension of air within said chest, a regulator valve for each of said passages, each of said valves being controllable by said collapsible means for effective operation at different degrees of collapse thereof, an additional valve for one of said passages and normally closing the same, means for operating said last mentioned valve to open said passage to control by the regulator valve therein, and means for resisting the collapse of said collapsible means, which means increases in tension with the progressive collapse thereof.

3. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a chest having a chamber therein in which air tension is to be controlled, an exhauster for drawing air from said chamber, a regulator governor between said chest and said exhauster, a regulator bellows, a valve chest having a plurality of separate air passages therethrough from. the interior of said bellows to said eXhauster, a regulator valve for each of said passages, connections between each of said valves and said bellows whereby said valves will be operated by the movement of said bellows, a second valve in one of said passages operating to normally close the same, means for opening said second valve, the regulator valve for the passage containing said second valve bein arranged to control said passage to regulate the tension in the bellows at a different degree of collapse of the latter from the degree of collapse which obtains therein when the air tension is be ing regulated by the valve for the other passage, and means for resisting the collapse of said bellows, which means increases in tension with the progressive collapse of said bellows.

e. In an apparatus of the character described, a chest having-a chamber from which air is to be exhausted, an eXhauster for drawing the air from said chamber, a regulator governor between the chest and the cxhauster and including a collapsible bellows in communication with said chest, two separate valved passages leading from the interior of the bellows to said exhauster, a regulator valve for each of said passages, each of said regulator valves being controllable by said bellows, an additional valve for one of said passages and normally closing the same, means for operating the last valve to open the passage, means for resisting the collapse of said bellows, which means increases in tension with the progressive collapse of said bellows, and an adjustable connection between said regulatcr valves and said bellows.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a chest having a chamber from which air is to be exhausted, an exhauster for drawing the air from said chamber, a regulator governor between the chest and the eXhauster and including a collapsible bellows in communication with said chest, two separate valved passages leading from the interior of the bellows to said exhauster, a regulator valve for each of said passages, each of said regulator valves being controllable by said bellows, an additional valve for one of said passages and normally closing the same, means for operating the last valve to open the passage, means for resisting the collapse of said bellows, which Jeans increases in tension with the progressive collapse of said bellows, an univgulated passage from the interior of the ellows to the exhauster, and a valve therer normally closing the same, with means or opening aid valve.

6. In an apparatus of the character describes, a chest having a chamber in which air tension is to be controlled, an eXhauster for lrawing air from said chamber, a regulator governor bet veen said chest and exhanster and including a collapsible bellows, two separate valved passages connecting the interior of said bellows with said 'iauster, a regulator valve for each of said passages, each said valves being coir trollel by said bellows, an additional valve :tor one of said passages, said last mentioned v; lve being normally closed, a pneui3 atic far operating said last mentioned *alve, means for controlling the operation of said ,riennatic, and means for resisting the coll L e of said bellows, which means increases in tension with the progessive collapse of aid bellows.

7. in an apparatus of the character de scribed, a chest hav'ng a :hamber in which air tension is to be controlled, an exhauster for drawing air from said chamber, a regulator governor between said chest and e hauster and including a collapsible bellows, two separate valved passages connecting the interior of said bellows with said exhauster, a regulate valve for each of said passages, each ot said valves being controlled by said bellows, an additional valve for one of said "issages, said last mentioned valve being ior; a l v closed, a pneumatic for operating said last mentioned valve, means for on itrolling the operation of said pneumatic, including tracker-board having a duct in communication with said pneumatic, and me r resisting the collapse of said bellov ch means increases in tension with the progressive collapse of said bellows.

an appa 'atus ot the character deest having a chamber in which to be controlled, an exhauster air from sa d i nclnding a collapsible bellows, are valve l passages connecting the of saio bellows with said eXhauster,

later valve it r each of said passages, l Soltl valves bein on additional Vt ntrolled by said lve for one of said 'i :ned alve being ;ie for opera'tiin; ieans for control Dllcllifiiii'lC, ino a duct means o bellows, tens with the i be l llows, said regulator having an unregulated passage leading from the interior of the regulator bellows to the exhauster, a valve therein, and means for controlling said valve to abruptly open and close said passage.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a chest having a chamber in. which air tension is to be controlled, an exhauster for drawing air from said chamber, a regulator governor between said chest and exhauster and including a collapsible bellows, two separate valved passages connecting the interior of said bellows with said exhauster, a regulator valve "for each of said passages, ,ach of said valves being controlled by said bellows, an additional valve for one of s; id passages, said last mentionec valve being normally closed, a pneumatic for operating said last mentioned valve, means for controlling the operation ot said pneumatic, ineluding a raclzer-board having a duct in comnn iication with said pneumatic, means or re ting the collapse of said bellows, which means increases in tension with the progressive collapse of said bellows, s: id regulator having an um'egulated passage leading from the interior of the regulator bellows to the exl'iauster, a valve therein, and means i r controlling said valve to abruptly (pen and close said passage, said means including a pneumatic.

10. in an apparatus of the character described. a chest having a chamber in which air tension is to be controlled, an exhauster t-rr dra .ving air from said chamber, a regulator 'oveinor between said chest and exis including a collapsible bellows, two separate valved passages connecting the interior of said bellows with said eXhauster,

regulator valve for each of said passages, each of said valves being controlled by said bellows, an additional valv for one of said assages, said last mentioned valve being .ormallv closed, a nieun'iatic for operating aid last mentioned valve, means for controlthe opera tien of said pneumatic, including a tracuer-boaid having a duct in communication with said pneumatic, means for resisting the collapse of said bellows, which means increases in tension with the progressive collapse of said bellows, said regulater having an unregulated passage leading ;.rom the interior oi the regulator bellows to the l aster, a valve therein. means for controlling valve to aoruptly (pen and cl ,se said pzssap' ding a a! e, said mains incln V a tracl fir having a duct pneumatic. l l for a pneiunatie cirtrlt, 1 connecting the opposite ends of the circuit, a regulator valve for each pa s, regulator bellows oper:

i l h 11 H1 2 Hi wits both or said itgulatoi e 1 1 '1 valves, a cut-oh valve 1. 1' one or sa t pas- 1 es normally closing the same, means to resist the operation of said regulator bellows, said means operating thereon with increased tension as said bellows progressively moves in a direction to operate said regulator valves, and means for operating the cut-off valve.

12. In a regulator for a pneumatic circuit, two passages connecting the opposite ends of the circuit, a regulator valve for each of said passages, a regulator bellows operatively connected with both of said regulator valves, a cut-off valve for one of said passages normally closing the same, means to resist the operation of said regulator bellows, said means operating thereon with increased tension as said bellows progressively moves in a direction to operate said regulator valves, means for operating the cut-off valve, said circuit having still another passage parallel with the first two, and a cut-off valve therefor.

13. In a regulator for a pneumatic circuit, two passages connecting the opposite ends of said circuit, means for causing air to flow through said passages in one direction, a separate regulator valve for each of said passages, means in common to both valves for controlling the operation thereof, said controlling means being in communication with the valve-controlled side of the circuit whereby the area of the opening through said passages will be varied progressively and successively with variations in the air tension in said valve-controlled side of said circuit.

14. In a regulator for a pneumatic circuit, two passages connecting the opposite ends of said circuit, means for causing air to flow through said passages in one direction, a regulator valve coacting with each of said passages, means in common to both valves for controlling the operation thereof, said controlling means being in communication with the valve-controlled side of the circuit whereby the area of the opening through said passages will be varied progressively and successively with variations in the air tension in said valve-controlled side of said circuit, and a cut-off valve normally closing one of said passages.

15. In a regulator for a pneumatic circuit, two passages connecting th opposite ends of said circuit, means for causing air to flow through said passages in one direction, a regulator valve coacting with each of said passages, means for controlling the operation thereof, said controlling means being in communication with the valve-controlled side of the circuit whereby the area of the opening through said passages will be varied progressively and successively with variations in the air tension in said valve-controlled side of said circuit, a bypass independent of said passages, and a controllable cut-off valve therefor for putting said two ends of said circuit in direct communication.

16. In a regulator for a pneumatic cir cuit, two passages connecting the opposite ends of said circuit, means for causing air to flow through said passages in one direction, a regulator valve coacting with each of said passages, means for controlling the operation thereof, said controlling means being in communication with the valve-controlled side of the circuit whereby the area of the opening through said passages will be varied progressively and successively with variations in the air tension in said valve-controlled side of said circuit, a bypass independent of said passages, and a controllable cut-0E valve therefor for putting said two ends of said circuit in direct communication, a controllable cut-off valve in one of said regulated passage-s, both of said cut-off valves being normally closed by air tension below atmospheric pressure, with automatically operable means for open ing either of said cut-off valves at will.

17. i regulator for a pneumatic circuit having two passages connecting the opposite ends of said circuit, means for causing air to flow through said passages in one direction, regulator valve mechanism for both of said passa es, a single controller means for said regulator valve mechanism, said controller means being actuated from the valveregulated side of said circuit, and a cut-off valve for one of said passages.

18. A regulator for a pneumatic circuit having two passages connecting the opposite ends of said circuit, through which passages air fiows in one direction, regulator valve mechanism for both of said passages, a single controller means for said regulator valve mechanism, said controller means being actuated from the valve-regulated side of said circuit, and a cut-off valve for one of said passages.

19. In a tension regulator for pneumatic playing attachments for musical instruments, the combination with a regulating bellows, and mechanical means for expanding it, of a plurality of means within the bellows and operatively connected with a movable part of the bellows, for producing and maintaining different air tensions in the bellows and a plurality of additional pneumatically operative means for controlling the passage of air from said bellows, substantially as set forth.

20. In a tension regulator for pneumatic playing attachments for musical instruments, the combination with a regulating bellows and mechanical means for expanding it, of a series of ports leading to the bellows and a series of valves within said bellows, and operated by the bellows for closing said ports, these valves and ports being combined to automatically cause the several valves to close their respective ports at different air tensions in the regulating bellows, substantially as set forth.

21. In a tension regulator for pneumatic playing attachments for musical instruments, the combination with a regulating bellows and mechanical means for expand-- in it, of a series of ports leading to the bellows, a series of valves within said bellows, and operated by the bellows for closing said port-s, these valves and ports being combined to automatically cause the several valves to close their respective ports at different air tension in the regulating bellows, and means for controlling the air tension existing in the said bellows from a tracker board by means of a perforated music sheet passing over said tracker board, substantially as set forth,

22. In a tension regulator for pneumatic playing attachments for musical instruments, the combination with a regulating bellows, and mechanical means for expanding it, of a series of ports leading to the bellows and a series of valves within said bellows, and operated by the bellows for closing said ports, these valves and ports being combined to automatically cause the several valves to close their respective ports at different air tensions in the regulating bellows, 30 an independent tension controlling valve pertaining to each of the above first mentioned valves butone, in the controlling bellows, substantially as set forth.

23. In a tension regulator for pneumatic 35 playing attachments for musical instruments, the combination with a regulating bellows and mechanical means for expanding it, of a series of ports leading to the bellows and a series of valves within said bel- 4 lows, and operated by the bellows for closing said ports, these valves and ports being C0111- bined to automatically cause the several valves to close their respective ports at different air tensions in the regulating bellows, 45 an independent tension controlling valve pertainin to each of the above first mentioned val ves but one, in the controlling bellows, and a separate governing means for each of these controlling valves substan- 5O tially as set forth,

FRANK C. W HITE.

Witnesses:

E. E. MORSE,v CHAS. A. PEARD.

Copies of this patent mav be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

